Nothing Will Change - Anonymous employee Smithsonian Employee Review

3.0
Apr 10, 2019
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Nice prestige, great objects, occasional perks, some great people.

Cons

Broken culture with caste system means a lot of staff works themselves to the bone for little money with no job security while upper-level staff shovel the work down but take the glory.

Explore other reviews about Smithsonian

5.0
Jun 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great mission. Strong benefits including health insurance and 403b contribution. Many people stick around for 5, 10, 15+ years.

Cons

Things are sometimes slow due to bureaucracy.

4.0
Jun 6, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

There is a strong community and network in museum and natural science collections and support.

Cons

Working conditions have a standard of museum environment settings, not ideal for those that desire to be outside all day.

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